Friday, May 31, 2013

Groups from Garver’s Frisco and Tulsa offices recently hand-packed meals specifically formulated for malnourished children through local Feed My Starving Children volunteer events. The non-profit ships meals to nearly 70 countries around the world in an effort to end child hunger.

Garver team members and their families packaged meals of rice soy nuggets, vitamins, minerals, and dehydrated vegetables into small heat-sealed bags, each of which will provide nutritious meals for six children.

“Volunteering with FMSC served as a reminder of how
easy it is to do something good for others when you work together,” said Garver
Project Engineer Andrew Snyder. “It amazes me that in just under two hours
we helped pack enough meals to feed 98 children for an entire year. That
helps motivate me to be more selfless with my time and to look for other ways
to give back to my community.”

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Two Garver employees recently graduated from the Emerging Leaders program, sponsored by the American Council of Engineering Companies of Arkansas and the Arkansas Society of Professional Engineers.

Construction Services Team Leader Blake Martin and Aviation Project Manager Adam Roberson attended sessions and classes to further develop their leadership and professional skills. Topics included conflict resolution, public speaking, and contracts and risk reduction.

“I appreciate that Garver gave me the opportunity to develop my leadership skills through the Emerging Leaders program,” Blake said. “This program allowed me to network with my peers from across the state during trust-building workshops and sessions on improving project management skills.”

This is the program's fourth year, and five students were involved in the program, which helps engineers stay fresh on some skills that can easily be overlooked and sometimes neglected in the profession.

“We’re used to designing projects, but we have to go out there and explain all of our projects and perform presentations to our clients,” Adam said. “You have to be a good public speaker in our business. You’ve got to be able to explain what you’re doing.”

Blake and Adam were Garver’s fifth and sixth engineers to complete the program over the last four years.

Blake and Adam were recognized for completing the program at the ASPE Annual State Conference by Garver Water Team Leader Paul Strickland, who served as 2012-13 president of the ASPE.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

The Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Division recently recognized Meacham International Airport in Fort Worth as the 2013 TxDOT Reliever Airport of the Year.

In making its decision, the division cited Meacham’s numerous improvements and strong recovery from a devastating storm last year.

“The airport has made great strides in safety and security improvements with the installation of security cameras and upgrading the facility access system, reconstructing aprons, and development of plans for a new perimeter roadway that will result in 5,000 fewer runway crossings by fuel trucks and airport vehicles annually,” TxDOT said in a press release.

Last month, construction was completed on the Apron A reconstruction project that Garver designed to be built in seven phases to accommodate the operational needs of nearly a dozen tenants. Garver has been providing planning, design, and construction-support services at the award-winning airport for the past three years. Currently, Garver is designing a new west-side parallel taxiway, Runway 17/35 pavement and lighting rehabilitation, and electrical vault upgrades, in addition to developing an electronic airport layout plan (e-ALP) at the airport.

Pictured above with the award, from left to right: Frank McIllwain, Garver vice president and Texas aviation director; Bill Welstead, City of Fort Worth aviation director; Jeff Kloska, Meacham International Airport manager; and Colin Bible, Garver project manager for Meacham International Airport projects.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Arkansas Engineer, published by the College of Engineering at the University of Arkansas, recently highlighted Garver's Water Design Center. Of the Water Design Center's current successes, Garver works with chemical engineering researcher Dr. Ranil Wickramasinghe to improve already-cutting-edge membrane technology.

Such technology recently won Garver a Grand Conceptor award from
the American Council of Engineering Companies of Alabama for design of the Tuscumbia Water Treatment Plant, the first dual-series membrane plant in the state of Alabama.

According to the article, "The close connection between Garver and the U of A benefits
everyone: the company, the university, our students and the community.
When academia and industry work together, they can create better jobs
for our local economy and better technology for everyone."

To read the entire article, which includes quotes by Garver vice president and director of water services, Steve Jones, and the center's process group leader, John Cutright, click here to go to the Arkansas Engineer website.

Thursday, May 16, 2013

The Society of American Military Engineers-Tulsa Post recently recognized Garver Regional Marketing Administrator Cindy Gran for her achievements and numerous years of service to SAME. SAME Texoma Region Vice President Greg Kuhn presented Cindy with a distinguished RVP coin in recognition of Cindy’s outstanding and continual active efforts supporting not only the Tulsa Post but also the Oklahoma City and newly established Wichita Mountains Post in southwest Oklahoma. Cindy sits on the Tulsa Post Board as the 1st Vice President. Previously, she served as Newsletter Editor and Chair of the Communications Committee, and also, Programs Committee Chair.

The Society of American Military Engineers' mission is to promote and facilitate engineering support for national security by developing and enhancing relationships and competencies among uniformed services, public- and private-sector engineers and related professionals, and by developing future engineers through outreach and mentoring. For more information, see www.SAME.org.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Garver is again involved in Bike to Work Week activities and encouraging commuters to ditch their car keys May 13-17. Our employees are involved in a number of ways this year, which includes leading multiple rides to our office in North Little Rock and providing refreshments and snacks for other bikers who are pedaling through the Northshore Business Park.

Below is a list of organized events near Garver offices. Specific meeting times, locations, and routes are available by clicking on the highlighted links. And if you know of any other events in a Garver city, let us know and we'll add it to the list.

Just in time for Bike to Work Week, Garver's Online Team Store is open and offering three new Garver cycling jersey designs and a bib short option in a full range of sizing and style choices for all levels of riders. The store will remain open until Thursday, May 23 for our spring sale. Log in to the Garver Pactimo store with the "garverstore" password.

Little Rock/North Little Rock, Arkansas

Lawren Wilcox is organizing bike maintenance services for Garver employees. Thursday (May 16) from 11:30-12:30, Lawren and others will provide free basic services such as tire inflation, chain lubrication, shifter and brake adjustment, and bike fit. If you need a tune-up to prepare for Bike to Work Day and the cycling season, want to learn a little about bike maintenance, or need help with your kids' bikes, please join us at the recreational storage in Building Two.

Bike to Work Day (Friday, May 17). Routes have been established in the Little Rock metropolitan area and can be found on the Ditch the Keys website. A couple of Garver employees are leading convoys: Lawren Wilcox is leading a group from West Little Rock to Garver; Diane Barton is taking a group from North Little Rock Park Hill to the Pulaski County Courthouse Rose Garden.

Ride of Silence (Wednesday, May 15, 7 p.m.). A Ride of Silence is held each year to honor those killed while bicyling. This year the ride will take place from 4800 W. 10th St. (new CALS Children's Library) to 12th Street and the Capitol.

A great source for Central Arkansas bicycling news, commentary, tips, and links is the blog JBar Cycling.

Fayetteville, Arkansas

Kick-Off Proclamation and Bike Ride (Friday, May 10, 5:15 p.m.). Mayor Lioneld Jordan will read the Bike to Work Week Proclamation, and then a bicycle ride to Mellow Mushroom Pizza off the Mud Creek Trail will begin.

Bicycle Commuter Challenge (May 12-18). The workplace with the highest percentage of bicycle commuters during Bike to Work Week has the chance to win great prizes. The rider with the longest commute is also given an award. Register your commute to enter.

Although Houston has already had its Bike to Work activities, Bike Houston’s website is a great way to get information on how you can participate in cycling the city in an enjoyable and responsible way.

Ride of Silence (Wednesday, May 15, 7 p.m.). A memorial ride to remember bicyclists killed or injured in traffic crashes. Events are planned in Plano, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Houston.

Tour de Nash (Saturday, May 18). Family rides and longer tours are scheduled. Hundreds of cyclists of all skill levels will embark on a leisurely ride along Music City's many wonderful bike-friendly facilities. You're sure to learn a new route that you can use to get to work, go out on the town, or just enjoy a great ride.

Bike to Work Day (Friday, May 17). Walk/Bike Nashville has a website and Facebook page with information on bicycling activities. Walk/Bike Nashville is coordinating group rides to all areas of Nashville/Greater Nashville area. For more information, click here.

Kansas City

Bicycle Month (May). Kansas City has lots of events throughout the entire month of May. Check out the calendar on Bike Month KC’s website. Highlights include the Bicycle Rodeo, Bike Prom, and the Bike-In Movie.

Lexington, Kentucky

Commuter Challenge (May). Register your rides at Bike Lexington for a chance to win prizes as an individual, or as a team, for most trips or most miles logged.

Ride to Work Week Events (May 10-17). See Bike Lexington’s calendar for information about Bike Polo, a women’s ride, Russell Cave Ride, and a bicycle-themed movie in the park.

Destin, Florida

Ride of Silence (Wednesday, May 15). A memorial ride to remember bicyclists killed or injured in traffic crashes will leave from Scully’s on the Bayou on Eglin Parkway in Ft. Walton Beach at 5:45 p.m.

Huntsville, Alabama

Ride of Silence (Wednesday, May 15). Stay tuned to the Spring City Cycling Club’s website for details about the memorial ride to remember bicyclists killed or injured in traffic crashes.

Garver's Frisco water team helped organize the 25th Annual Operations Challenge competition at the Texas Water Conference in Galveston, Texas last month. The Ops Challenge is a competition among some of the best wastewater collection and treatment personnel in the world. Teams are sponsored by a Water Environment Federation Member Association and over several days they compete in simulated wastewater treatment plant procedures.

Teams from the City of Austin, Dallas Water Utilities, Trinity River Authority of Texas, Littleton/Englewood WWTP (Colorado), the City of Lafayette (Louisiana), and Jacksonville Wastewater Utility (Arkansas) battled it out in two Divisions. The Division I, consisting of the Texas Teams, competed for a chance to represent WEAT at the national competition scheduled for this October at the Water Environment Federation’s Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference in Chicago.

Garver Marketing Administrator Heather Compton, who helped coordinate the competition, said, "It was great to see how operators overcome emergencies in a wastewater facility. This competition challenges teams to exercise their knowledge and experience and race against the clock in a high-pressure situation much like an emergency at a plant."

The two-day competition kicked off on April 10. On day one, the teams competed in a timed test on five wastewater treatment plant process-related subjects and a laboratory event, where teams simulated lab tests and samples. Other events tested the teams’ skills in safety, collection systems, and maintenance.

Garver Project Manager Lance Klement volunteered as a safety event judge. "This event underscores and highlights the operations sector of our industry. The speed and efficiency with which these teams operate is jaw-dropping to spectators," he said.

The Ops Challenge Competition was coordinated by Garver Vice President Jeff Sober for the fifth year in a row. Jeff was recently appointed chair of the Water Environment Association of Texas' 2014 Texas Water Conference in Dallas.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Garver’s Huntsville Team was excited to participate in the local March of Dimes' March for Babies walk on Saturday, April 20. Garver team members and their children walked together to show their continued support for healthy babies.

Throughout the months of March and April, friendly internal competition between Garver’s Huntsville business groups resulted in the Construction Services team raising the most money for the March of Dimes. In keeping with the March of Dimes theme, dimes were also donated and placed on Garver’s "G." These dimes, along with other monies raised, enabled Team Garver to give over $1,000.00 to the March of Dimes.

This year, the March of Dimes celebrates its 75th Anniversary of helping newborns and their families. The March of Dimes mission is to improve the babies' health by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Through March of Dimes research and lifesaving programs, medical facilities like the Huntsville Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit are accessible and have the most up-to-date neonatal equipment.